The Order of Hunters
The Order of Hunters is an organization based in the nation of Riva. Allegedly founded thousands of years ago by the very first Hunter, it is the oldest organization in Riva outside of the government itself. Populated solely by warriors and assassins, the Order is often seen as nothing more than a simple band of killers and mecenaries. However, without The Order, Riva would be all but destroyed at this point. Above all else, the Order of Hunters is dedicated the the extermination of all unnatural life that endangers the sentient races of the world. Monsters, creatures and beasts are all the Order's enemies, and they will stop at nothing until they are completely wiped out. Through the use of horrible, forbidden alchemy, and even the use of the deadly Bloodfire Disease, which nearly wiped out all of Riva at a point in history, these Hunters are turned into something much more than human. Faster, stronger, and more cunning, these men are what keep the things that go bump in the night at bay for the Rivan people. History Also see: Rivan History Founding of the Order Most of The Order's history is shrouded in mystery, lost to the mists of time after millenium and millenium of their existance. Only legends and tales exist of the founding of the ancient Order, many of which contradict eachother. However, there is one thing that nearly all followers of Trinigard believe about the founding of the Order, and that is that it was initially founded by Trinigard himself and his 5 generals, as a way to forever fight the forces of evil and keep the nation stable for centuries to come. While the order did manage to keep things relatively peaceful, they could not have anticipated the scale at which things would crumble apart later on. During the Outbreak When the many other governors of Riva's cities revolted against the central government because of the Bloodfire disease outbreak, the Order of the Fallen similarily had disagreements inside the walls of their fortress. The order was split between those who believed they should step in, and those who thought that the people would find a way to survive. While things never devolved to violence in the Order, tensions were high, until the Grandmaster of the Order, Graveth Whitestrake, declared that they would not get involved until it was over, as getting involved in this would be too risky to their order. So, they simply hid inside their fortress until it all blew over. During the Purge Seeing the nation of Riva all but destroyed by the Bloodfire disease, the Order decided to assist in rebuilding the nation. However, the Purge made things incredibly difficult for the Hunters, the nation's citizens all seeming to blame the Order for everything that's happened. They were attacked, driven out of towns and cities, and generally hated by the disgruntled populace. Seeing how ungrateful and selfish the people were still being, the Order once more went into hiding, leaving the nation of Riva to its own devices as it operated elsewhere. Becoming a Hunter The requirements of becoming a Hunter are extremely harsh and difficult, as to make sure only the most strong and cunning will make it into the order. The Order requires not only strength of body, but strength of mind. If either of the two falter, the recruit will most definitely fail, and die during the training. In order to keep the fatality rate low, the Order is extremely choosey when it comes to recruits. In fact, it used to be an honor to be chosen by The Order, but now, due to the Purge and the Outbreak of the Bloodfire Disease, it is seen as a great shame to the family. Recruitment The Order's recruitment techniques are extremely specific in nature, weeding out the unworthy and weak from those that would be a welcome addition to their organization. To find potential candidates for Hunter status require an established Hunter from the Order to seek out a member of Rivan society that displays an unusual amount of both intelligence and physical prowess. A gang leader in the slums, only doing what he does to feed a family, or a lowly factory worker who solves advanced equations in his free time. While these things might not seem too spectacular, it is enough to make them stand above the rest. Joining the Order is not a choice, and it is seen as a crime to the Order, by the Hunter, if the recruit fights the decision. The Trial After being brought to the Fortress by the Hunter, the recruit is given a room, food and bed to stay in until it is time for his trial. The trial in question requires two recruits to be present, and thrown into a small arena being overseen by the Grandmaster himself. Throwing two spears into the arena, the two young men are told to fight to the death, and the winner will gain the honor of becoming an Acolyte of the Order. While they say this, it's actually not the case. They intentionally say this to see who is truly more honorable in a fight to the death. Oftentimes, one party will show a lack of honor towards his opponent, believing winning is the only thing that mattered. However, despair as they might when told, they would be cast out of the monastery. In the event that both were dishonorable, neither would be granted the honor of becoming a Hunter. However, in the rare chance that one party was very honorable in his battle, even if struck down and left bleeding out on the floor, the less honorable party would be cast out, but the loser, or winner in some cases, was kept and granted the right to become an acolyte. Training An acolyte's training begins immediately after he is named as such. The first step in training an acolyte for Hunter Status is to do many different alchemical surgeries and give to him many different potions, to transform into a superhuman, capable of carrying out the Orders will of destroying all that is unnatural. Alchemical infusions, potions and even surgery transform what was an ordinary human into what is truly a Hunter. The final, physical part of the training is also the most grueling and painful. All Hunters are to be infected with the Fireblood Disease, a horrible, deadly disease found only in Riva. The mortality rate is nearly nonexistant, but those who do survive the siezures, high fever, blisters, and acidic blood are graced with the opportunity to further their training. The feat of surviving a case of Fireblood is so amazing, in fact, that it is enough to be entered into the training program for the Order. If the acolyte does survive this procedure, he will be assigned to a Hunter, who will act as his master, teaching him the ways of combat and of the weaknesses of all known monsters. He will go on missions with him, whether they be simple investigative work, or actual hunts. The Master and Acolyte often become very close in this period, making for great partners in the future. Only when the master deems his student worthy, will he be promoted to full-fledged Hunter status. The master must bring his apprentice before the Grandmaster himself, and then demand a demonstration of all he has learned. If the Grandmaster finds his performance satisfactory, he is immediately promoted to Hunter status and given his set of armor and weapons. Equipment The equipment of Hunters is chosen more for its practicality than its appearance. All Hunters wear a longcoat, hat and longbloots as their standard uniform. Aside from this, customization is allowed, such as cloaks, scarves, masks and other such things. Most Hunters choose their extra equipment for its usage instead of their looks, in true Hunter fashion. Category:Lore Category:Organizations Category:Organization